Device for applying luminescent tubes to power transmission lines



Feb. 1l, 1936. JEAN-BAPTISTE J. M. ABADIE 2,030,491 l DEVICE FCR APPLYING LUMINESCENT TUBES TO POWER TRANSMISSION LINES Filed March l1, 1932 2 Sheets-$11661. 1

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Patented Feb. 11, 1936 UNITED ASTATES.

DEVICE FOR APPLYING LUMNESCENT TUBES T POWER TRANSMISSION LINES Jean-Baptiste Joseph Marcel Abadie,

Paris France Application March ll, 1932, Serial In France March 17,

The present invention has reference to the application of luminescent tubes filled with rare gas for marking out power transmission lines at Y night and also for indicating, in particular in the cubicles of transformer stations, whether or not the line is under pressure.

With this end in view, the invention relates to a lamp having a luminescent tube whose features of operation and the manner in which it is mounted will become apparent from the ensuing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of one embodimentof a lamp.

Figs. 2 and- 3 illustrate two constructional modifications of the low tension electrode.

Fig. 4 illustrates the application of the invention to lines under medium pressure.

Fig. 5 illustrates a constructional modification o of the lamp according to the invention.

Fig. 6 illustrates another application of the lamp to lines under medium pressure.

In Fig. 1 has been shown a power transmission cable I from which the lamp may be suspended g5 by two jaws 2 which may be clamped to the line by two lugs 3 iitted with a locking bolt.

'Ihis hooking device is connected to a metallic cap l made of aluminum or preferably any inoxidizable metal, as are also thev hooking jaws so and clamping screws. This unit supports a glass sleeve 5 (hard glass), within which is located a luminescent tube 6 of small diameter twisted in a spiral, with a view to increasing the brightness of the source.

The electrode I of the luminescent tube .6 (neon tube for example) is connected to the upper hooking device. At the lower end of the glass sleeve 5 is located a metallic sleeve 8 fitted. with a plurality oi' points 9. The points promote 40 the leakage of the electric current into the atmosphere in accordance with the well-known electrostatic etfect of a point surface.

The second electrode Ill of the luminescent tube may be connected to the metallic sleeve 8 by a wire Il (Fig. 1) or may be connected to a metan lic coating I2 (Fig. 2). In the latter case, a condenser is formed with the terminal of the i dielectric glass sleeve 5, the two coatings of which are the point leak 8 and the metallic coating I2.` According to Fig. 3, the capacity of said condenser can be raised by locating in the terminal portion of the sleeve 5 a condenser of which I3 and I 4 are the two coatings, one of the coatings Il being connected to the point leak 8,

. lamps to operate at and the other coating I3 to the lower electrode I0 of the luminescent tube. i

Insulating washers I5, made of micafor example, form the dielectric of the condenser.

With this arrangement, the `lamp operates as 8 follows: The electricity which tends to escape through the points along the equi-potential atmospheric lines set up by the power transmission line, will pass through the sleeve, then through the luminescent tube which it will cause to light 10 up, and then either directly through the points according to the rst circuit arrangement, or to charge the condenser according to the second circuit arrangement, said condenser discharging through the point leak 8. The leak, depending l5 on its metallic mass and the nature of the points, considerably iniiuences the luminous power of the tube, for it modifies the current that iiows through said tube. It is therefore useful to increase the effect of the leak. i

The leak may likewise be covered over with substances which ionize the air surrounding the leak, such as radio-active substances as shown in Figure 3. Finally the ionizing potential of the air may be lowered, the effect of which will be to 2,5 lower the lighting up potential and to facilitate the flow of current, by covering over the leak with substances such as alkaline or alkaline-earth oxides as shown in Figure 2.

Such a lamp readily operates as soon as the 30 voltage with respect to the earth reaches 6,000v voits.-

It may be of interest in certain cases to design 2,000 and 3,000 volts, or to be able to increase at will the luminosity of the 35 lamps on power transmission lines at higher voltage.

Use will then be made of the device illustrated in Fig. 4 where the electric cable I is suspended Ifrom a suspension cable la, the insulation chain 40 between them being designated by I1, I8, I 9. The leak which in this case need not be provided with points, may be connected by a suitable insulated wire I6 to a fastening point of one of the line 45 insulators. The insulators then act as dielectrics and according to which of the points I1, I8, I9 contact is made with, the luminous intensity of the lamp will be increased.

In this case, in order to'avoid the risks of an 50 arc being set up, the circuit arrangement illustrated in Fig. 2 will be used for tli'e lower electrode, and the glass sleeve 5' will be made suii'iciently thick so' that the dielectric rigidity corresponding to the thickness chosen shall compensate for the insulation of the short-cimmed insulator.

the jar provided under I the purpose of which is to break up the lsheet of water streaming down In wet weather, the water which streams along from the cable.

the sleeve tends to destroy the potential difference required to light up the lamp and which exists under dry atmospheric conditions between the cable and the leak fitted with points.

Hence a glass or porcelain jar 20, see Fig. 1, will be placed around the leak with its points in order thus to avoid the luminescent tube becoming extinguished. The jar 20 may be formed as a part of the sleeve 5 or may be connected thereto by slipping over the sleeve and resting on a shoulder or other projection formed near the lower end of the sleeve.

The horizontal lamp illustrated in Fig. 5 is characterizedl by:

1. A worm tube 6 filled with neon gas.

2. A leak 8, formed by a cylinder made of sheet zinc for example, stopped up at both ends, said cylinder having a greater outer surface, for a predetermined resistance to the wind, than that of any other leak which is practically utilizable.

3. A completely ilexible suspension system formed for example by two hooks 2 formed by aluminum strips which are clamped to the cable by hand during erection.

4.. Inoxidizable damping springs 20a and two brass chains 2l, the end of one of the chains being connected to the high tension electrode 'I and embedded in pitch 22.

The otherl chain is hooked to an insulating knob 23 made of cast material, said knob being held in a metallic ring 24 which supports the leak 8.

In order to.prevent the vibrations of thepower -transmission cable from causing the tube to slide along it, a clamp 25 mounted on said cable is connected to the two supporting hooks 2 through the medium of two springs 26.

'Ihis lamp includes in addition a device for protecting it from the rain.

The sheet of water which streams over the lamps during a heavy rainfall forms about the leak a conducting sheath charged .to the potential of the cable. It creates in the vicinity of the leak a Faraday cage which prevents said leak from discharging.

With a view to protection against rain,.the invention is characterized by: A

1. The breaking-up of the sheet of water for example by means of insulating jars 21.

2. The application of a special anti-clouding material (parain for example), the purpose of which is to break up the continuity of a supercial water vapour layer which may settle on the lamp, which continuous layer would produce substantially the same potential in the leak as in the cable and would therefore prevent the lamp from operating.

3. The high tension electrode is completely insulated in order to prevent it from charging by induction the water streaming down in proximity thereto. The means employed consists in immersing said electrode in insulated pitch.

. '4. The use of one or several shielding rings 28,

the purposel of which is to prevent a continuous conducting sheet of water from being formed over the whole length of the tube. This sheetv of water would be raised by induction to a high potential and on this account, owing to its being which is greater than 20,000 volts which would beincompatible with the conditions of manipulation and utilization.

The leak may then be advantageously replaced by a capacity, the other terminal of the capacity being connected either to the earth or to another phase (see Fig. 6) The capacity may be placed to advantage in the glass tube of large diameter containing the luminescent tube 5 itself after having carefully and thoroughly dried the glass tube housing the luminescent tube and the capacity 29.

The tube illustrated in Fig. '6 is characterized by the application of a. luminescent tube, the pressure required for its operation being a third of the total feed pressureothe'urdt.

Tests and calculations have shown that with this distribution of pressure the unit works with the greatest efficiency.

In order to protect the lamp against possible short circuits, special fuses are used which are immersed in oiland placed in glass tubes 30, the '30 latter being immersed in the pitch 1 which keeps the two ends of the lamp huid-tight.

The lamp is supported by jars made of cast material which have the same characteristics as in the lamp disclosed in Fig.l 1 or being covered 4351 member making watertight contact with one of said elements for preventing the accumulation of a short-circuiting water lm, said member comprising a body portion provided with a water repellent exterior surface.

2. A beacon light comprising a gaseous discharge tube element, an. electrical connecting element between said tube and a power line, al

circuit completingr element, and a water repellent member disposed ata point'intermediate the ends of said tube and making water tight connection therewith to prevent the accumulation of a shortcircuiting water nlm, said member comprising a collar provided with a water repellent surface.

3. A beacon light comprising a gaseous discharge tube element, an electrical connecting element between said tube and a power line, a circuit completing element, and a water repellent member disposed at a point intermediate the ends of said tube and making water' tight connection therewith to prevent the accumulation of a short circuiting water nlm, said discharge tube element comprising 4a transparent sleeve. a pair of discharge tubes ln said sleeve, a capacitance in said sleeve, one electrode of one tube connected to the said connecting' element and the other electrode connected to one side of the capacitance, one electrode of the other tube connected to the other side of the said capacitance and the second electrod connected to the circuit completing elemen 4. A beacon light comprising a gaseous discharge tube element, an electrical connecting element between said tube and a power line, a circuit completing element, and a water repellent member making water tight connection with said connecting element to prevent accumulation of a short-circuiting water film, said water repellent member comprising a long hollow sleeve portion and a downwardly flaring shielding portion, said member provided with an exterior water repellent surface.

5. A beacon light comprising a gaseous discharge tube element, an electrical connecting element between said tube and a power line, a leakage condenser completing the circuit, and a water repellent member making water tight connection with said condenser to prevent accumulation of a short-circuiting water tilm, said member comprising a bell-shaped member about the condenser, said member being open at the bottom and provided with a. water repellent surface. 

